Dead’s Not Punk
Extremely good news from the New York Times of all places. Legendary LES punk space ABC No Rio was given funding by the NYC government for a new building. The old tenement that has hosted the collective from time immemorial (aka 1980) will be torn down to make way for a new space.
I’m thrilled ABC No Rio - hardcore matinees, zine library, art galleries and all, will survive. But honestly… I’ll have to shed a few tears for the old building. It’s where I kissed for the first time, drank whiskey for the first time and learned most of my guitar chops. A few of the old zines I wrote as an angry teenager are likely still in the archives there. I spent my Saturday afternoons at their punk rock matinees for years and years. And the fact that the next generation of questioning, too-smart-for-their-own-good youth gets to have ABC stick around is wonderful.
Now back to being cynical and mocking.
